Fire-protection system.



PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

J. G. NOLBN.

FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED AUG. 7

J. G. NOLEN. FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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wrwaaeax PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906. J. G. NOLEN.

FIRE-PROTECTION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION IILBD SEPT.17. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Jzrrzea 1656, 2 y (7w Qm indicate by predetermined JAMES o. NOLEN, OECHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, Assiouon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOMATIC FIRE PROTECTIONCOMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FlRE-PROTEC Specification of Letters Patent.

TION SYSTEM.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed September 17, 1904. Serial No. 224,925.

T 0 all 1071,0711 it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES G. NOLEN,of- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State. of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Protection Systems; and Ihereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to fire-protection systems, and has for its generalobject to provide for use in conjunction with a movable part of afire-protection systemsuch, for instance, as an automatic valve of anextin-l guisher systeman alarm system which Willi signal when theactuatin'g part is so moved from its normal position that it isdesirable to direct the at: tention of those having supervision of theprotected area to the action'of the movablepart which has taken place.For example, it is important that the authorities having supervisionover the safety of a building equipped with an automatic sprinklersystem should be informed when the water is in flow? through thesystem'and. I therefore'herein show my system as applied to thesupervision of an'automatic check-valve adapted to be moved to open.position whenever the waterflow commences.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated such application of myinvention, Figure 1 isa front view of a timing element thereof in itsassociation with the valve and showing diagrammatically the circuitconnections of the parts. Fig. 2 isa ,verticalcrcss-sction on line 2 2of'Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of a signal-box such as may beemployed in the embodiment of my invention. Fig. 4 is a side elevationof the same, and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are'detail s of construction of saidbox.

Throughout the drawings like numerals of referencerefer always to likeparts.

Referring now to the specific embodiment of my invention'shcwn in thedrawings,A indicates a riser or a pi e of an automatic fireextinguishersystem, I3 a valve-casing, and b a check-valve therein constituting inthe systern a signal-initiating device, said valve having a stem b"projecting beyond the casing and carrying at its extremity anactuatingarm I) and a switch-arm b. Associated with the arm b foractuation thereby is a timing device, herein shown as an electric time?switch of novel construction which serves as a means for producingdifferent predetermined conditions in proper succession and timedrelation in a circuit to be hereinafter traced. I

The time-switch consists in general of a dea restricted passage, a bodyof mobile mate'- rial in one of said chambers adapted underpredetermined conditions to flow through the restricted passage into theother chamber, and circuit parts associated with the device controlledby the movement of the mobile material.

In the specific construction illustrated, C indicates as a Whole thetime-switch, which preferablycomprises a carrier 0 of suitable shape,pivoted, as at 0, preferably at some supports 0 so that it tendsconstantly to overbalance in one direction.

0 indicatesa foot provided upon the lower end of the carrier and havinga heel c, which constantly lies in the path of movement of arm b andnormally engages with the extremity f the said arm 6 to maintain thecarrier in substantially upright position against its tendency tooverbalance. The footc is further preferably provided with an exten-.

sion 0 lying in-the path of oscillation of the arm 6 so that if struckby said arm it posi: tiveiy throws the carrier in the direction of itsoperative movement. A stop-pin 0 playing in a slotthe support isprovided for limiting the motion of the carrier in both directions,Supported in the carrier 0, as by a clip a, is a device comprising twochambers and 0", connected by a restricting-passage 0 The devicedescribed is preferably a glass bulb, and in it is placed a body of mcbile materialc, preferably mercury or other electrically-conductiveliquid, the device being so disposed when in normal position that saidmercury body lies wholly onfor the most part within the chamber 0Mounted upon the upper portion of the which'lead two pairs 0 electricconductors, one pair extending into the chamber 0 so as to be normallyimmersed in the mercury and the other pair 0 extending into the vicecomprising two chambers connected by carrier are two bindingosts c" andc ,from

point below its center of gravity,.in suitable chamber 0 so as to benormally out of the mercury. The construction of the device is such thatif the arm I)? be removed from its position restraining the tendencyofthe carrier to overbalance' and the parts assume a position-shown indotted lines in Fig. 1 the mercury will commence to slowly-flow throughthe restricted passage into the then lower chamber 0 Accordingly after apredetermined interval the circuit between the pair of conductors ,cwill be broken, and

after a further predetermined time contact.

is completed between the normally separated conductors-0 I Binding-posts0" and c" are preferably provided within the casing convenientlycontaining the switch upon the side of the carrier toward which its'toptends to fall, the binding-post c being connected withthe carrierbinding-post 0' by a iiigt'ziilp and the binding-post a" being similarlyconnect.-

ed by a Wire 0 to the binding-post 0 upon the carrier. Thus the slightnatural spring of the pigtails is made to exert its force to throw thecarrier to active or abnormal osition as soon as the arm I; is removedcontact with the shoulders c. v J, I

The time-switch which I have described is capable of. wide application,and the princi ples embodied in my switch are susceptible of embodimentin diverse forms; but the switch which I have herein described isparticularly adapted in its connections and are rangement for operationin conjunction with a signal-transmitting device, which I will nowdescribe.

D represents a normally Wound signal box or transmitter adapted totransmit a pluralimpulse signal, by which I mean a signal of interruptedcharacter, the impulses or division's whereof are grouped to enable thesignal to be read,so as to determine the particular box transmitting asignal. The transmitter D comprises, preferably, a spring-motor of anysuitable type arranged to. drive synchronously a pair of make and-breakwheels d and'd, each having an elevated peripheral portion and a toothedportion, the toothed portions of' the two wheels being preferablydissimilar-and the toothed portion of 'eac being arranged to correspondin position to the raised peripheral portion of the other.

Associated in the usual manner with the wheel (1 are thepen and contact(1 1 constituting make-and-break devices, and co operating with wheel (1are thelike pen and contact ci e, the two contact devices beinginsulated from each other.

Associated with the motor is a suitable controlling mechanism, hereinshown as comprising a pivoted lever (2, having at one end a pair offingers d d confronting each other,

ut at. different distances from the pivotal point, and arranged,respectively, to over and under lie a rotating member (1", adapted to bedriven by the motor-train at one-half the speed ofrotation of thenumber-wheels d d; The rotating member d is provided at diametricallyopposite points with two ap-.

ertures (1 and (1; arranged at such distances from the center as to becapable of registering with the respective fingers d and.

The construction is such that assuming the. finger d to be in engagementwith the aperture d, as illustrated in Fig. 7, elevation of the forwardend of the lever d throws the finger d- -out of such engagement with itsa erture and forces the finger (1 down upon t e top of the rotating partd". The rotating part being now free, the wound boX operates until thenumber-wheels d d have made one revolution, at which time the finger (2drops the mechanism is stopped. If, however, the lever d be moved backtoward its initial position, the rotating part d'is again released for ahalf-revolution, so that it will be ap- For actuating this controllingmechanism I provide an electromagnet E, having an armature e, from whichextends an arm mounted at its forward end, as at 6 for engagement with astud (Z carried by the forward end of the lever d devicew of thecontrolling into its aperture cl and further movement of e indicates aspring tending to normally 7 hold the armature e in forward orunattracted position. It will be apparent now that as the armature isattracted by its magnet or returned by its s ring the lever-arm (1 willbe corresponding vibrated to operate, as described, u on t e'motormechanism contro'lled'thereby.

While I prefer to employ the box herein described, I do not desire to beunderstood as limiting myself to the construction employed as it will beapparent that other devices mightbeem 10.. ed which would serve the.

is to say, provide a suitable signal-transmitting device.

same endas t e ox herein referred to'that" Referring-now to the devicesdiagrammatically shown inFig. 1, F" indicates a signalresponsive deviceof well-known type, and G The de- 1 indicates any suitable generator.vices described ma be connected in circuit as follows:' From" thepositive brush of; gener'ator G a 'signal circuit extends through thepen" d and contact (1 of the signal-box, thence bywire 12 to a contactpoint 13, with -'wire 1Q, which connects with two parallel br'anc "es',onevextend'ing through wire 11 to' which the'armature e of the magnetEcon- 1 o 1 ao is tacts when the said armature is in attracted position,and from the pivotal point of said armature by wire 14 back to the maincircuit, the other branch extending through wire 15 to the pend andcontact (1 and thence by .wire 16 to a connection with wire-14, whencesite terminal whereof extends wire 21 to the binding-post c" of thetime-switch, and from the opposite binding-post c of said switch extendswire 22 to the negative terminal of the battery H. It will be apparentnow that under normal conditions with the partsas shown in'full lines inFig. 1 the magnet-cir cuit is closed and the armature e of the magnet Eheld in attracted position against the tension of its spring. It will beunderstood that in this position thefinger' d of the controlling deviceengages with its corresponding aperture in the rotating part of themotor, If now the magnet-circuit be broken, so that the magnet isdeenergized and its an mature retracted by its spring, d is withdrawnfrom its aperture and the finger (i pressed against the rotating memberd of the motor. The number-wheel of the motor now makes one completerevolution before the motor is stopped by the engagement of said finger(i with its aperture, as heretofore described. It will be noted thatduring this operation of the signaling device the branch of the circuitincluding the pens d and d is broken by the separation of. the armatureof the'magnet from its contact 13, and therefore current flows onlythrough the pen (it! and contact (i In consequence the signaltransmitted to the central station is simply the number represented bythe teeth on the wheel (1, followed by a long dash caused by theseparation of the corresponding pen and. contact. by the raisedperipheral portion of the wheel. If now the magnet; circuit be heldclosed and the magnet-armature attracted, the motor mechanism .is againfreed for operation until the aperture d is engaged by the finger d ofthe controlling mechanism, the wheels (1 and d again making onerevolution. It will be noted, however, that during this action of thesignaling device both branches of the circuit containing both pairs ofcontact making and breakvices for actuation by the valve-opening, suchcircuit being shown in Fig. 1, where J indicatesthe circuit, includingtwo contactsegments.- and y", associatediwith the switch= arm b to beclosed thereby when the valve is opened, a bell K, and a battery L. t Itwill be apparent now that if the check-valve bis raised by thecommencement of the flow ofwater through the riser or other pipe the armb closes the circuit J to sound the local alarm K and the arm I) isremoved from contact with the heel c of the time-switch device. Theframe of the timing device now oscillates to the dotted-line positionand the mercury commences to flow into chamber a", so that ina definitetime the mercury connection between conductorsc is broken, as heretoforedescribed. These parts being included in the electromagnet-circuit denergize the electromagnet E, which actuates the signaling device totransmit its signal, .as

first described. The mercury continues to slowly flow through therestricted passage 0 into the chamber c and after a lapse of timepreferably sufficient to enable the motor mechanism to complete itsfirst operation fills the chamber a to such an extent as to completecontact between the conductors.

e thereby again completing the electro- -magnet-circu1t and causing thelatter to again actuate the transmitting mechanism to transmit to thecentral station the signal last described. When the check-valve againcloses, the arm 11 engages heel c and moves the frame 0 back to initialposition ready for another operation, the circuit J being simultaneouslybroken.

While I have herein described with some particularity one form ofnormally set box and its actuating mechanism which I may convenientlyemploy, I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to theconstruction described, nor do I desire to be understood as limitingmyself to the specific circuit arrangement shown and described (althoughI find the latter convenient) further thanas specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, i's

said circuit, adapted when actuated to produce said conditions inthecircuit, and means for actuating said time-switch.

3. In a fire-protection signal system, a suit- 1 I :5 1. In afire-protection signal system, a suitable circuit, a si nal-transmitteradapted to be twice actuate upon the occurrence of two differentconditions in its circuit, a time'- switch in said circuit adapted whenactuated to produce said conditions in the circuit, and

means for actuating said time-switch.

4. In a fire-protection signal system, a suitable circuit, a sirial-transmitter adapted to be twice'actuate upon the successiveoccurrence of two predetermined conditions in saidc1rcu1t,'a.t1me-sw1tch in said circuit adapted when actuated to producesaid conditions'in proper succession, and a definite timed relation, andmeans for actuating said timed switch. s v

5; In a fire-protectionsignal system, the combination wlth'a movableelement of a fire-protection system, of a signal system comprising asuitable circuit, a signal transnutter, and a signal-responsive d6V]06,'flI1 d a time-switch, operatively aSSO01tte(l-\W1th the movableelement of a'hre-protection system for control thereby and operativelyassociatedwith the signal-transmitter to control said transmitter.

6. In afire-protection signal combination with a. receptacle containingfluid underpressure, .ofa signal system comprising a suitable circult, aslgnal-transmitter, and. a signal-res onsive'device, and a time-switch,controlle by the pressure in the receptacle, and operatively associatedwith the signal-transmitter to control said transmitter; s I x 7 In afire-protection signal system, the

combination with a receptacle containing fluid under pressure, of asignal system comprising as'uitable circuit, a signal-transmitterand-asignal-responsive device, and electroresponsive meansfor condlt omng theslgnaling transmitter for operation, a circuit for said electroresonsive means, and atime switch control mg the last said circuitarelectroresponsive means for conditioning the signaltransmitter foroperation arranged for a, functional operation upon the rupture of thecircuit containing it, circuit co'nnectionsfor said electroresponsivemeans, and-a time-switchcontrolled by'the pressure in the receptacle,arranged to control the said 'cir-- cuit connection of the signal-responsive means, and, under normal conditions of pressure in the flud-rece tacle to-mamtain-sald circuit connection 0- theelectrore'sponsive means closed. 4 9. In a fire-protection signalsystem, the combination with a movable element of a fire system, the

ranged for controlfiby the pressure in the' 8. In a. fire-protectionsignal system the protection'system, of a signal system comprising asuitable circuit, a sign'al-transimtter, and a signal-respons ve device,an electioresponslve'meansfor-conditioning the signaltransmitter'foroperation, circuit connection for sa1d electroresponsive' means, and. atimeswitch operatively associatedwith the movable element of thefire'protection system for control thereby,- arranged 'to control thecircuit connections of the electroresponsive device.

-10. In a'fire-protection si' nal system, thecombination With a, movab eelement ofa fire-protection system, a signal systemjcom-' prising asuitable circuit, a signal-transmitter, a signal-responsive device, anelectroresponsive means for conditioning the signal transmitter foroperation, circuit connections forsaid electroresponsive means, anda,

time-switch associated with the movable element of the.fireprotectionsystem forfcon trol thereby, and arran ed to eontrolthe'cirouit connections of t e electroresponsivemeans said time-switchbeing arrangedsto normally maintain said. circuit connections closed. iv

11. In a fire-protection signal system, the

combination withqa receptacle containing.

fluid under pressure, of a signal system comi prising a suitablecircuit, a make-and-break device therein, a source of current-supply,

and a slgnal-responsive dev ce; and means controlled by certainvariations in pressure in the receptacle, for actuating the make-andbreak device to transmit a; plural-impulse signal,- saidj'meansbeing'timed in operation to functionally operate only upon the main-'tenance of the pressure conditions in- :the.re cep'tacle to which itresponds for a-predeter mlned length oftime.

In a fire-protection signal system, the

, combination with a movable element of a fire- Ioo extinguishersystem,ofasignal system. comprising a circuit, a source-ofcurrent-supplytherefor, and make-and-break. devicesand, a:

signal-res onsi ve device therein-9s andmeans operative associated withthe valve for con-' trolthere y,--for= actuating. the make-ands'breakdevicesto transmit a plural-impulse I signal, timed, tofunctionally operate only upon;- the maintenance of the operation-ink.

tiating condition-of the valve for a. predetermined time 13; Ina fireqprotectionsignal system, the i combination'withia movable elementofafireextmguisher system, of a signal sys tem comprislngza circuit, asourceof.-current-sup(ply a therefor, ab signal-responsive device, anplural lmpulseesignaltransmitter involv'ng a circu ii7-controllingswitch, a switch-actuat-y I ing part-and a motor formovingthe switchactuating part, and means controlled by the valve and timed inoperation, for conditioning themotor to/move; the switch-actuatingguisher system wherein predetermined con ditions should be maintained,of a part associated with said receptacle movable in response tovariations from normal conditions,

a signal system comprising a circuit, means of electric-current sup lytherefor, a signalresponsive device, andaipluralimpulse-signaltransmitter involving a: circuit-controllingswitch, a switch-actuating member mov- 1 5 able to actuate the switch totransmit a pluralimpulse signal, and means for actuating saidswitch-actuating member, associated with the part. responsive toconditions in the receptacle for control thereby and timed to tionallyoperate only upon the maintenance of the operation-initiating conditionsin the receptacle for a predetermined time.

15,. In combination, a signal-transmitter, a movable signal-initiator tobe'supervised, a z 5 timing device operatively associated with thetransmitter and signal-initiator, and arranged when maintained infunctionally operative condition by the initiator for a predeterminedtime. to condition the transmitter for operation, and when maintained insuch condition for less than the redetermined time to restoreitself tonorma condition without affecting the transmitter. 16. In combination, avalve, a signal- 3 5 transmitter, and a timingdevice, responsive to anabnormal condition of the valve for a definite time to trip thetransmitter and selfrestoring after maintenance of such abnormalcondition for less than such definite time.

40 17. In combination with a valve, a normally wound signal device, andmeans for tri ping the signal device comprising a movab e partassociated with the valve for move ment thereby, and a timing devicearranged togbe moved from normal position by said i'ng selfrestoring tofunc- In testimony movable part and, when maintained in abnormalposition for a predetermined time, to trip the signal device, saidtiming device benormal condition after malntenance in abnormal conditionfor less than the predetermined time.

18. In combination with a device to be supervised, a normally woundsignal device, a timingdevice controlling the signal deviceandcontrolled by the device to be supervised, said timing device beingadapted to condition the signal device for operation only after itsmaintenance in condition for operation by the device to be supervisedfor a-predetermined time,

and to restore itself to initial condition after maintenance in timingcondi tion for less than the predetermined time.

19. In combination with a device to be supervised, a normally woundsignal device, an

electrical timing device controlling the signal device and controlled bythe device to be supervised, said timing device being adapted tocondition the signal device for operation only after its maintenance incondition for operation by the device supervised for a predeterminedtime, and to restore itself to initialcondition after maintenance intimin condition for less "than the predetermined time. 1 v

20. In combination, a valve, an electrical signal-transmitter, and meansfor controlling an electrical timing device responsive to abnormalconditions of. the valve for a definite time to trip the transmitter,and selfsrestoring after maintenance of such abnormal conditions forless than such definite time.'

that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

JAMES e. NOLEN.

i In presence of' Gno. T. MAY, Jr., MARY F. ALLEN.

. the operation of said transmitter comprising

